Laying in her bed, thoughts ran through Pretty’s mind. She remembered the last speech she made and how she had ran home the day before, leaving her teachers and friends shocked. She did not wake up that day, she spent her Saturday in bed. She lied to her mom saying she was sick or maybe she was.

It was around 18:00 and very quiet, the only noise she heard was of a barking dog from her neighbour and a noise of her singing mother.

She heard a knock on the door, and quickly panicked.

“SHIT,”

She was thinking out loud.

She knew it was her friends, they had invited her to come to the party, a party she was not prepared to go to. She knew very well her friends wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“Look, she is not feeling well,” Pretty heard her mother saying.

Pinky and Mpho have a listening problem, Pretty thought.

The girls came running to Pretty’s room. They did not even knock but that did not surprise Pretty, they had always been like that; they were like sisters and their friendship was too strong, nothing would ever stand in their way. They became friends in primary until now; what they had was perfect. True friends indeed.

“So you decided to fake sickness hha?” Pinky said pulling Pretty’s hand trying to get her out of the bed.

“No I’m really sick,” she tried defending herself.

“No, I won’t take your stories, go take a shower, me and Mpho will find something nice you can wear in your wardrobe. Plus,” Pinky added, “Mlungisi will be there too.”

“Really? He did not tell me he was going to the party,”

“Oh I get the point, you did not want to go to the party because your man is not going, Ah ah sister, don’t let men control your life. With or without Mlungisi you are going OK?” Mpho said with a smile.

“No drinking OK?”

Mpho and Pinky looked at each other in disbelief.

“Look who is talking,” Pinky said in amazement.

Pretty disappeared to take a shower, while her friends waited for her in the living room with her mother.

A few minutes later Pretty was done and she looked even more beautiful. She was wearing jeans, a tee shirt, a jersey and snickers.

“Ah, ah wait there, why are you wearing a jersey?” shouted Mpho.

“It’s cold out there,” she protested.”

“My baby, you are perfect with your jersey. I don’t want you to catch a cold. I’m even surprised why you are going to the party, I thought you were not feeling well. Please don’t go,” Pretty’s mother insisted that Pretty stay.

“Mma relax, she won’t get a cold. We are going to a party, meaning we will be dancing. A warm jersey won’t be needed,” Pinky said convincingly.

Pinky wished that they were at the party already because Pretty’s mother could not stop complaining

“Here are your rules girls: No booze, no boys, no touching and no kissing. I have eyes everywhere and I will be watching,” Pretty’s mother said leaving the living room to her bedroom.

As Pretty’s mother left the room they all giggled.

“No kissing,” Mpho said imitating Pretty’s mother’s voice.

The girls went out still laughing. They were still amazed by the rules they were given by Pretty’s mother.

But Pretty’s mind was racing, her body was at the party but her mind was on the trip. She was standing all alone watching her friends boozing, dancing and having a good time, it was that time of a year; December.

She felt disgusted by what she saw from her former classmate’s behaviour, Nomsa. She was drunk to the point where she undressed her clothes, she was all over the boys ordering them to touch her in certain areas.

Pinky came behind Pretty’s back and tapped her shoulders.

“What the hell?” Pinky screamed.

“Chill it’s me, why are you furious?” Pinky shouted.

“You smell like alcohol geez, you had how many bottles?”

“We are having fun right? Are you sober? Here take, drink. How are you going to see the stars sober?” Pinky persuaded Pretty to drink, but Pretty refused, pouring the alcohol down.

“Mother Theresa, do you have any idea how much that beer cost?” she complained.

Pretty was different; she had changed a lot, she was sober all night. Mlungisi was surprised to see that actually Pretty had not touched alcohol. He then thought that maybe Pretty wanted to lead by example because she was a role model to most young girls, maybe she did not want to be seen drinking. In her speeches, Pretty would advise young girls not to drink alcohol because boys would take advantage of them, plus people won’t have respect for them.

“Babe, are you okay?” Mlungisi asked.

“I want to go home, it’s late,”

“If that’s what you want I will take you home. I heard you are not feeling well, so going home is a good idea. You need some sleep love,” he said holding Pretty’s hand.

“Stop it, save all your sweet talk. You disgust me,” Pretty snapped, pulling her hand away from Mlungisi’s hand.

“Babe, what’s wrong with you?” he asked in shock. He was really worried, him and Pretty have never fought. And Mlungisi knew very well he was innocent, he was not cheating on her. What could be the reason behind Pretty’s anger, he wondered.

“I need to tell you something,” Pretty’s face dropped, she could not face Mlungisi.

“What? Tell me?” he asked quite concerned.

***

Tell us: What do you think is going on with Pretty? What does she want to tell Mlungisi?